Contents [hide]

Feather History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Feather History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Feather is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a person who was a buyer or seller of feathers, having derived from the Old English word "feder," meaning "feather." 1

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae records Reinfrid and Osmund le Feutrier of Normandy 1195 and that the name was derived from Le Feutrier. 2

Early Origins of the Feather family

The surname Feather was first found in Sussex where Juliana la Fethere was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1296. A few years later, Adam ffethir was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland in 1332. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 listed Amald le Fader, Wiltshire; and Richard le Fader, Oxfordshire. 3

In Somerset, Robert Fader was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 4

Early History of the Feather family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Feather research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1282, 1304 and 1544 are included under the topic Early Feather History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Feather Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Feather were recorded, including Feathers, Feather, Fether, Fedder, Feder and others.

Early Notables of the Feather family

More information is included under the topic Early Feather Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Feather Ranking

In the United States, the name Feather is the 10,234^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Feather migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Feather arrived in North America very early:

Feather Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Feather, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1759 6
Bernard Feather, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 6

Feather Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

B Feather, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 6
Edith Feather, aged 10, who settled in America from Leeds, in 1899

Feather Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alice Feather, aged 25, who landed in America from Bingley, England, in 1906
Elenda Feather, aged 15, who landed in America from Bradford, England, in 1908
Elsie Feather, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Bradford, England, in 1913
Briggs Feather, aged 53, who immigrated to the United States from Bradford England, in 1914
Doris Elizabeth Feather, aged 20, who landed in America from Bradford, England, in 1914

Feather migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Feather Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Feather, (b. 1825), aged 35, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 7
Mrs. Elizabeth Feather, (b. 1828), aged 32, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 7
Mr. Edwin Feather, (b. 1851), aged 9, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 7
Miss. Emily Feather, (b. 1854), aged 6, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 7
Miss. Ann Amelia Feather, (b. 1858), aged 2, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Feather (post 1700) +

William A. Feather (1889-1981), American publisher and author
Elwin Elton "Tiny" Feather (b. 1902), American football running back
Jane Feather (b. 1945), British-American writer of historical romance novels
Billie Lorraine Feather (b. 1948), American singer, lyricist, and songwriter
William Feather (1792-1849), American politician, Postmaster at Hamburg, Pennsylvania, 1841-45 8
Phillip Feather, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1996 8
Frank Feather, American politician, Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Manchester 10th Ward, 1948 8
Harry Feather, English professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s
Norman Feather FRS FRSE PRSE (1904-1978), English physicist
Yankel Feather (1920-2009), English painter, member of Liverpool Academy of Arts
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Feather Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Valens et volens
Motto Translation: Able and willing

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html